COUNTY WINS FUNDS TO FIGHT DRUGS

Fairfield County is among the dozen New England counties that will benefit
from a federal program aimed at curbing drug trafficking across the country.

Barry McCaffrey, director of the Washington-based Office of National Drug
Control Policy, and members of Congress announced last week that the 12
counties are part of a new High-Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

The designation means that the New England HIDTA will receive $1 million to
establish a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement
agencies, said Marilyn Lewis, of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The country has about 25 HIDTAs. Each establishes a task force and
operations center to coordinate drug control and share information.

Other Connecticut counties include Hartford and New Haven.

U.S. Rep. James Maloney, D-5th Dist., said the federal government is
targeting the tree counties in Connecticut because the interstate highways
and train routes that flow through them are used to transport illegal
drugs. He said his office has kept the drug cagency abreast of state problems.

"There has been (communication) with Mr. McCaffrey's office about the fact
Connecticut gets used as a thoroughfare of drug trafficking, particularly
between Boston and New York," Maloney said. "We want it stopped, and this
designation will help do that."

Robert Paquette, Danbury's chief of police, said it's unclear what kind of
direct benefit--if any--the new designation will have for municipal police
departments.

"I would only hope that some of the resources that are going to be
generated by this funding would trickle down and assist this community
here," Paquette said.

The New England region is among five new HIDTAs that were announced last
week.